Madeleine McCann case: Scotland Yard requests more funding to prolong investigation into toddler's disappearance

In April the force said it was investigating 'significant' leads

Scotland Yard's investigation has been active since 2011, but the number of detectives working on the case was cut from 29 to four in 2015 (Getty)

Scotland Yard has reportedly asked the Home Office for more funding to continue the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

In April the force said it was investigating "significant" leads that Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley described as "very worthwhile".

The Met had previously suggested it would ask for further funds to investigate one final line of enquiry in the £11m Operation Grange.

Sources told Sky News the request has now been made.

Three-year-old Madeleine vanished from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on 3 May, 2007.

Her disappearance sparked one of the most high-profile, and costly, police investigations of recent times.

Scotland Yard's investigation has been active since 2011, but the number of detectives working on the case was cut from 29 to four in 2015.